SBI cuts lending rate by 90 bps

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked banks to priorities lending towards poor and lower middle class, country’s largest lender SBI cut benchmark interest rate across various maturities by 0.9 per cent, a move expected to be shortly followed by other banks.

The bank has reduced marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) by 0.9 per cent from 8.90 per cent to 8 per cent for 1-year tenure, State Bank of India (SBI) said in a statement.

“While respecting the autonomy of banks, I appeal to them to move beyond their traditional priorities and keep the poor, lower middle class and middle class at the focus of their activities,” he had said.

“India is celebrating the centenary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya as ‘Garib Kalyan Varsh’. Banks should also not let this opportunity slip. They should take appropriate decisions in public interest promptly,” he had said.

Flushed with funds due to demonetisation, the new interest rate for other tenures including one month, three months and six months has been reduced by 0.9 per cent.

MCLR has been reduced by 0.9 percentage points to 8.10 per cent for two years and 8.15 per cent for three years.

Last week, its subsidiary State Bank of Travancore had announced reduction in the lending rate and another public lender IDBI too reduced it by up to 0.6 per cent.